Knowledge, perception and practice of mercury-containing cosmetics among Malaysian adults / Fatin Nur Atikah Zakaria, Nur Sabiha Md Hussin and Aina Amanina Abdul Jalil

Locally, mercury-containing products are easily accessible due to a lack of regulations. Thus, this study aims to determine the prevalence of mercury-containing cosmetics usage among Malaysian adults, identify their knowledge of the negative effects of the products, and assess their perception of skin tone preferences, focusing on sociodemographic factors. The study was conducted cross-sectionally among Malaysian adults. The questionnaire was divided into four dimensions; i) sociodemographic factors, ii) knowledge of mercury-containing cosmetics, iii) perception of skin tone preferences, and iv) practice of usage of mercury-containing cosmetics. Descriptive analyses, t-tests, one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s Chi-square test were performed by using SPSS. A 100% response rate was achieved, and they were predominantly female (82.0%) and Malay (94.3%). The participants’ knowledge score and perception score were 25.81/30 (5.62) and 35.83/50 (8.44) respectively. The respondents were highly knowledgeable about mercury-containing cosmetics and had high positive perceptions regarding skin perception and preference. The selection of mercury-containing cosmetics is influenced by factors including the list of ingredients, affordability, and availability on online platforms. The practice of usage of mercury-containing cosmetics shows a low prevalence (7.25%). Significant differences were found in perception scores of skin preferences based on gender (p=0.024) and geographic region (p=0.023) but not in knowledge scores. Malaysian adults have a low prevalence of mercury-containing cosmetics usage, possibly due to knowledge of its adverse effects and positive skin tone preferences. Future studies are needed to establish the association between usage prevalence, knowledge, and perception. Gender and geographic factors significantly influence perceptions, necessitating targeted awareness campaigns.